Why did it have to be here, of all places? I lamented but kept my thoughts to myself as I watched Jerrik from across the check in counter. By the look on his face, he hadn't expected me either.

Holy crap!

I’d signed up working here on a lie, a premise, the type that girls like me need to tell to get away from our past. I told the center that I was brought up by a bunch of hippies, the type that believed in yoga, the ones that inspired me to be a teacher. That’s the message that my boss, Henry, wanted to hear and I had convinced him that I’d lived by this belief my whole life.

Jerrik should be in the city somewhere, doing drugs, alcohol, and women, if the tabloids were anything to go by.

Then again, the same magazines and websites that posted seedy stories about him had started up a rumor that he would be sent out on a retreat after his last scandal and that it would be where I worked, but I had wished fervently that the rumors were false.

I had no desire to see a familiar face, and Jerrik’s was perhaps the least welcome. I wanted to turn and run, but I had a job to do, and Jerrik, of all people, wasn’t going to send me running, even though I had my hands clenched on the counter with the temptation to duck down underneath it, even when he’d already laid eyes on me.

“Excuse me, sir?” I called tentatively, watching as the two of them were locked in some stare down. “I still need some of your details for check in.”

The man that had his hand on Jerrik’s shoulder turned to me with a polite smile. “Ah, it’s only this guy over here. I just brought him here.”

I was tempted to ask if he was Jerrik’s babysitter. Instead, I asked, “And you are, sir?”

He looked at me curiously, and I felt my face warm a little when I realized that was probably not something I should be asking. Still, he answered.

“I’m his agent, Tom. I’ll be leaving him here, so please take good care of him.”

My face warmed some more, but at least I bit back the harsh “No” that I wanted to say instead.

“Well, I need information from one of you for check in, so who will be giving me that?”

Tom slapped Jerrik on his shoulder before pushing him ahead. Jerrik stumbled and shot Tom a glare before his eyes turned back to me with a frown.

“What do you need from me?” He looked as though he wanted to run just as fast as I did.

As we went through the process, he had his eyes on me the entire time, while I did my best to avoid his gaze. At least he wasn’t saying anything about how we apparently knew each other.

“All right,” I said finally, breathing a sigh of relief. “I have everything, and your room is ready. Would you like to go there now, or…?”

I looked up to meet his eyes and my voice trailed off. His eyes were staring intently at me, and I resisted the urge to flinch back from the look on his face.

I had to get him aside and talk to him before he said anything he shouldn’t. Tom finding out wouldn’t be a problem. Tom would be leaving in a bit, but I would be stuck with Jerrik for a few weeks. Acting like I didn’t know him would be pointless, he obviously recognized me the moment he saw me and that was probably the reason why his own eyes were just a little wider than normal.

He probably wasn’t happy to see me either. Oh, joy.

“I could show you the way to your room,” I offered.

Of course, it was just so I could get him alone and talk to him, before he had a chance to give me away. I was lucky to be alone when they entered the reception. Someone else usually sat behind the counter with me, but he’d left because he was called elsewhere. Besides that, Jerrik hadn't made it obvious that he knew me yet.

“That right there is my cue to leave,” the agent said, then turned to give Jerrik a look. “I will be checking in on you. And don’t you dare think of skipping out early.”

Jerrik frowned at the other man. “Where would I go? How? Unless you’re leaving me the car.”

Tom scoffed. “You can be creative; don’t play with me, kid. And like hell I’m leaving you with my car.”

“You could have let me come with my own,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, no. That way, you would definitely run.” He turned to me with a wink and a smile. “Take care of my boy for me, would you? Sorry in advance if he causes any trouble. I’m sure deep, deep down inside, he’s good.”

Jerrik’s frown grew fierce, and my lips rose in a small smile, a little amused in spite of myself. Jerrik said something quietly, probably a curse, and the agent left, laughing as he went.

Then Jerrik and I were left alone, and whatever amusement I felt died quickly.

I was a little surprised when he broke the silence between us first.

“So, am I imagining things, or are you who I think you are?”

I stared at him with my lips pursed, unsure of how to go ahead with this now that I had him alone. I couldn’t exactly threaten him. If what I’d been hearing—and reading—of him as of late were true, he wouldn’t take to a threat well. He might even expose me out of spite because of it, and the last thing I wanted was to make him mad.

“Or are you just a doppelgänger? Long lost twin?” he went on when I took too long to answer, his eyes narrowing. “Are you Sharon?”

I couldn’t even be surprised. Of course, he would remember me when I would rather he didn’t, even with all the years that had gone by. Not that we’d ever been all that close, at best passing acquaintances, but it didn’t change that we did know each other.

“There’s no long lost twin, Jerrik. That only happens in the movies.”

He snorted and grinned, though it wasn’t a happy look. “So I was right. What are you doing all the way out here, Sharon?”

“None of your business,” I shot back almost immediately, then bit my lip, reminding myself that I was trying not to antagonize him. “I needed a job, and I got one here.” That was all he needed to know.

But his eyes narrowed on me like he knew that wasn’t all there was to it.

“Do you have luggage with you?” I asked, looking at him with a frown. I came out from behind the counter and waited. “I might as well show you the way now. I can leave a note, so someone else brings in your bags.”

He waved a hand over his shoulder. “Tom’ll bring my stuff in for me; he’ll probably just leave it here.”

I nodded. I reached behind the counter for a pad and pen and wrote down a quick note. The staff member I was supposed to be manning the counter with should be returning soon.

“It’s this way,” I told Jerrik, reaching behind the counter again to get his room key and handing it over to him.

I made sure our fingers didn’t touch as we passed the keys, and he obviously noticed by the sideways look he sent me.

We were silent on the way, as I was thinking of just what to tell him and how to keep my cover with him around. We got to his room too soon, I didn’t know what to say yet, and he stopped with me. He didn’t make a move to get inside the room, instead he turned to face me.

“What did you want to tell me?” he asked slowly. “There’s got to be something or you would have let me go on my own with directions instead of offering to show me, wouldn’t you?”

“It’s actually part of my job,” I said, mildly offended.

“Yeah, but see, I have a feeling you want to avoid me, or you would have said something about knowing me the second you recognized me. Isn’t that right, Sharon?”

I scowled at him. I wasn’t sure if he was just bluffing, but either way, he was spot on. Of course, I knew avoiding him wouldn’t be possible. I wouldn’t always be stuck at reception, and we could meet just about anywhere in the retreat. I had to take the chance to talk to him now or I would regret it later.

“Look,” I muttered, glancing around to make sure we were alone, then stepped closer to Jerrik and met his gaze. “I got the job here because my employers think I have a clean history. They have standards for their employees, and I just kept my past life private.”

There wasn’t anything that big in my background, at least not the kind that would put me on a cop’s radar. But the service industry tended to be particular about employees and the retreat was probably even stricter than most hotels would be. If anyone found out about my background and the kind of shit I got up to when I was a misguided teenager, I would probably lose my job.

Jerrik’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked almost entertained. “So you lied.”

I winced, not wanting to think of it that way, but knowing he wasn’t entirely wrong either. “Yeah, Jerrik, you could say that. I have a good thing going on for me here and I don’t want that to change just because you’re here.”

He eyed me for a moment in consideration, and I hoped he wasn’t just thinking of a way to screw me over. I didn’t mention that he clearly had things to hide himself. It was the only possible reason he was at a retreat in the first place, acting like it wasn’t his idea to be there at all. But I didn’t want to make him think I was trying to blackmail him, because he might get the idea to do the same to me.

Then his eyes lit up in a way that I didn’t like, and I resisted the urge to take a step back. I realized when he took one forward that I should have anyway.

“So, what you’re saying is, you want me to keep your secrets?”

I arched an eyebrow at his expression, looking almost happy with himself. “And I’ll keep yours,” I said, and stared back, unblinking.

He reacted, his eyes going cold for a second, his lips flattened, but the look was gone almost immediately, as he realized I was challenging his threat and giving him one back.

“Because we both have secrets we want kept, and I’m asking, Jerrik, keep your mouth shut.”

“Maybe,” he muttered, “but you need this job, don’t you? I don’t need to be here. I could probably talk my way out of staying, but what happens to you, hmm?”

I scowled at him. I would be out of a job, for one thing, and I would be out of a home. I’d have to move somewhere else, look for another job, start anew.

“Jerrik, look. I’m asking for a favor, and I know you don’t have to listen to me, but please don’t mention to anyone that we knew each other before today. It would only bring up questions that neither of us want to be asked.”

His lips pursed, and I felt a spike of anger go through my chest. If he didn’t listen to me, what could I do? I didn’t want to start packing to leave. The anger burned in my chest, resentment mingled with it as I felt my hands begin to shake. Why did he have to come here and ruin things for me in the first place?

“What will you give me?” He asked it like a naughty child, one that thought he was being cute.

I scoffed as I looked at him. Did he really think that would work? The anger began to fade away and made space for my confusion as I blinked at him.

“Excuse me?”

He took another step forward, and I took one back instinctively. We repeated the dance, until I felt my back hit a wall, and I jumped in surprise. Jerrik stood in front of me, not touching but a little too close for comfort.

“I’m just wondering what this job of yours is worth to you. See, I didn’t want to come here, I was told to come here. Now, I’d like to have a little fun during my stay, or I’ll probably die of boredom.”

“There’s plenty to do around here; you don’t have to be bored,” I said quickly, deliberately side-stepping his meaning.

A slow smile grew on his face, and I hated to admit it, but he was attractive, and that smile only made him even more so. His brown eyes gave me a look I could only describe as one of desire, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. He leaned closer so I could feel his minty breath wash over my face, and all I could look at were those eyes.

“That is true, there’s plenty to do. But do you want to know what I want?” he murmured, turning on his charm. His body inched just a little closer to mine, and I could feel his warmth. “I’d like to have you in my bed, doing some not so innocent things. I’ve always wanted you, Sharon. Want to give me a chance?”

My body trembled because of his nearness, that look in his eyes and the tone of his voice, low and husky. I’d always wanted him too, but I’d never admit it. Not to him.

I wasn’t that easy.

I pressed my hand to his chest and gently pushed him back. His eyes widened a little in surprise, but he backed up, and I moved quickly away from the wall.

“We are not doing that, Jerrik,” I said point blank. “And now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

I turned my back on him and made my way back to the front desk and sanity.